Great LEO Encounter in Madera Co., California

[spencerhut]

My two old geezer (no offense to geezers on this board) neighbors had been bitching when I fired my compensated M1A at my house. Now it is perfectly legal for me to fire weapons on my land since we are in the sticks. When the land we are on was divided and developed they put the three houses about as close as they could be. Not sure why, anyway not much we can do about that. In an attempt to appease the neighbors I moved my shooting range to the corner farthest from the two other houses. I did this at considerable expense and effort on my part to try and keep the noise down to a reasonable level when I practice. Mind you, I'm under no legal obligation to do so, just trying to be nice.
So today I went to use my new range for the first time. Within about an hour the local Sheriff was there. It took me a while to figure out they were on my property, ear plugs and shooting kind of lessons your ability to hear the dogs bark ya know. I walked on up to where the Sheriff was parked, two of them, with my carry gun (cocked and locked .45) and extra mags in full view. Both Sheriff's smiled and introduced themselves in a very professional manner and shook my hand, taking note of my gun of course. They went into the details of the neighbors complaint about me shooting and told me there was nothing they could do or say to stop me from exercising my constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Oh my f'ing God! They were as nice and polite as you could possibly ask for. They commented on how safely I was practicing and how nice and safe an area I had made to shoot multiple times. Hell they even asked if they could come over and shoot some time.

One thing they said that gave me a warm feeling in my heart was the comment from my neighbor that he had moved here to have peace and quite. To which the Sheriff responded, "yeah, but he (referring to me) probably moved here so he could shoot."

Yes, there are some good LEO's in California after all. And some of you doubted it.

 

[Indifferent]

My advise, invite the whole force over to play, offer them (after play) a Beer, a Smoke, some Olives, Beef Jerky and Cheese.

Congratulations you now have your own Team of Sheriffs.

 

[IronSightRot671]

I love happy endings..

 

[Dookie]

My advise, invite the whole force over to play, offer them (after play) a Beer, a Smoke, some Olives, Beef Jerky and Cheese.

Congratulations you now have your own Team of Sheriffs.

I was thinking the same thing.

Personally, if I had my own range, the first people I would talk to would be the Police, invite them over for a BBQ and run what ya brung.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

brace yourself, in the eyes of the heroes of the revolution here you are looked upon as a fawning lackey.

 

[Moonclip]

Tell that cop he can come shoot sometimes and invest in short 12 gauges and elephant calibers and 500S&W to piss of your neighbors

 

[jakk280rem]

fawning lackey? that doesnt sound like a positive statement in keeping with the spirit of the board. cosidering some of the horror stories that have been posted here in the past about leo encounters, this post should be applauded. if we were all so lucky.

 

[chris in va]

Did your neighbors move in after you did?

If not, I'd say they have a valid complaint.

 

[crashresidue]

"Oh, Grasshopper" -

Yea, you guys got some good cops in California! I flew "exclusive use fire contracts" there for 7 years and met some great LEO's!! I flew mainly out of one county and met at least a dozen Deputies that rate in the top 25 of ALL the LEO's I've met/worked with. I MUCH prefer "county mounties" to "town clowns", but that's just me.

Short story with a twist: I got released for the day and returned to my motel. I was "dry", so I just dumped my sh*t in the room, made a cocktail, and standing on the walkway, with a cigarette - still in my flight suit (to be refered to as the "zoot suit" from here on out).

A carload of "ethnic youths" cruised past and soon a Sheriff's car cruises past behind them. A minute later, the cop car returns and asks if I'm LE - "Na, just a fire pilot". He asks if I have a gun - "Yea - what ya need?" He tells me he can't get "back-up" for a least 20 minutes and asks if I'll follow him around the motel with my pistol. He doesn't think anything is going to happen, but he's apprehensive.

So, I grab my PPK clone and slowly follow him back to the rear of the motel.

Parked behind the motel are two "classic Chevy low-riders". They were georgeous!!! Both start up when they see the cop and cruise out of the lot - no barking tires, no nuthin'. But they see me.

Deputy stops and visits after, asks about the gun - it's a .380 and, being younger than me - says: "Son, ya need a BIGGER gun"!

Now, fast forward two weeks (I've been on a fire for 10 days), Same motel, same time of day, same day of the week - guess who shows up? That SAME low-rider - and it stops in front of my room - with me, still in the "zoot-suit", cocktail and cigarette in hand, out on the walkway - and they ALL get out!!!

Now, I don't know about you, but I figure I'm lookin' at death and dismemberment - plus other dasterdly deeds before this is gonna be over!

Over walks the driver, sticks out his hand and introduces himself - they're from a classic car club up the road - and they show up EVERY WEEK for a classic car show at one of the local resturants. They were meeting up at my motel because it's very easy to find from the interstate. I told them to get a room next week and we'll have a few drinks.

Next week, I roll into the motel, it's PACKED with old cars and every room is taken. I get introduced to so many people - of ALL ethninticities (sp?).

I called the cop shop and asked if a certin LEO was on duty - he was off, so I asked them to call him and ask him to call the "fire pilot". He did, and before the night was through, at least half of the off duty LEO's showed up and met the "gang bangers" that everybody was worried about.

Good people all around!!

Yea, yea - I know - it isn't like that all the time - but when it turns out good, ya just can't help but enjoy it!

Genlte winds,
cr

 

[Zoogster]

Excellent story.

Some of CA isn't so bad. Those who live in the very outnumbered regions where there is still enough room to stretch and be free often feel they are in the same fight against the restrictive laws coming from the progressive left coast. The leftists can try to make LEO support thier side by excluding them from most asinine laws, but that only goes so far out in the "sticks". So you can find some good Sheriff's deputies out there.
The only LEO that you might have to watch out for in such regions is the CHP, as they often come from the high population areas and are not used to that level of freedom, and travel long and far on some of thier routes.
If the CHP respond be wary.
If it is just the local Sheriff's department they are often good people who choose to work out there away from most of the nonsense for a reason. (Is some great CHP too, I am just saying the odds of them coming from a region that doesn't like freedom are a lot higher, in fact likely, while your local deputies are well, local.)

 

[Zoogster]

It can also all change if people don't excercise thier freedoms on a regular basis and new developments expand in the area or people from the coast come out to retire bringing thier politics and left leanings with them.

Such individuals are often wanting the country feel without the associated freedoms or recreations. If they come out and such freedoms are being excercised all the time, they adjust gradualy. If they come out and those freedoms are not being excercised when they move in, and suddenly they become aware of them in large numbers at once they will pressure local ordinances outlawing thier practice turning thier new area into a mirror image of where they came from over time.

 

[SomeKid]

As a rule, I am anti-cop, and I don't hide it. However, if that story is true, it appears you found some cops who are actually decent human beings.

I say provide the beer when they come over to shoot.

 

[thorazine]

A well written letter to their CLEO commending their professionalism and understanding of the situation would probably seal the deal.

Considering they probably get more complaint letters than "great job" letters I'm sure it'll go a long way.